Diving in Phuket

[MB2013]

Without a doubt! Ao Nang is a very beautiful and scenic area. The limestone rocks are very unique for this province of Thailand. If you are a bit into rock climbing - Ao Nang/Railey Beach is your destination.
A short distance away from Ao Nang, you'll have several small islands, which most dive centers in Ao Nang using. Koh See, Koh Haa and Koh Yawasam are very popular and recently some new wrecks have been added to create some artificial reefs. While the visibility most days are not fantastic, the diving is better than most dive sites around Racha Yai and locally on Phuket.

Phuket and Ao Nang sharing only Phi Phi islands, Shark Point, Anemone Reef and the King Cruiser Wreck. Specific for Ao Nang is daytrips to the local islands, Koh Haa and speedboats to Hin Daeng/Hin Muang. Special for Phuket are the Racha islands as well as Similan islands. This is scheduled trips and nothing about what can be arranged.

Are you saying the diving is not that good around Racha Yai and when you say locally on Phuket, what dive sites are you referring to?

 

[Wingy]

Id have to agree the diving out of Krabi v diving out of Phuket always sends me back to Ao Nang. Racha Yai and Noi are where you get a lot of dsd and snorkellers and I honestly thought the reefs were very ordinary. They're generally shallow current free dives which I guess are fine for new divers and the new diver I had with me which is why I went there enjoyed it.

Ao Nang is way nicer than Phuket as far as topside scenery, you can do all the same Phi Phi island and 3 dive super day (K.Cruiser/Anemone or Koh Doc Mai/Shark Point) plus the local islands often offer up nice diving for thailand.

I always dive with Poseidon Dive Centre when in Ao Nang and now they have their own boat I've referred satisfied customers to PDC. Poseidon Dive Center Scuba Diving Ao Nang Krabi Thailand

 

[MichaelWallentin]

Are you saying the diving is not that good around Racha Yai and when you say locally on Phuket, what dive sites are you referring to?

I consider Racha Yai dive sites as training sites for new divers, and unless our divers insist going there, I will not recommend it. Locally we have Paradise and Kata beach house reef as the two most popular local dive sites (Others are Ao Sen, Le Meridian, Koh Waeo, Coral islands and the local reefs around Nai Yang). Again, good for training dives, but hardly a place I would normally take many divers.

I know it sounds like these dive sites are just bad and offers nothing. That is not what I'm saying. What I say is, that in general, there are a lot more interesting dive sites you can reach from Phuket.

Your original questions was about finding a good dive op in Phuket. Going with the right dive op, can make up the difference between having a normal or a fantastic day on an ordinary dive site.

 

[MB2013]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Wingy]

Will add I enjoyed diving Nai Yang as it was a purely accidental discovery (wrong day for a flight directed there by airline, found a dive centre) and a suprisingly good fun dive...very very easy and relaxed and nowhere near the volume of divers at Racha. House reef there was like a big warm pool however this was around the 2010 bleaching. Not sure if the tin wreck is still there but it was a dive I enjoyed at Nai Yang with the local reef. I guess timing played a part was around the time of the redshirts troubles and I was the only diver - that made it really enjoyable and long and slow.

 

[stevenl]

Don't forget there are some really nice divesites at the Racha islands, and with possible depths of 40+ meters and possibly strong and whirling currents not suitable for beginners. Especially at Racha Noi, with The Plateau (aka The Zoo), South Tip, North Point, Maritta's Rock, and also at Racha Yai with Lucy's reef and a few rarely dived wrecks.

To dive there you need one of the old hands instructors or DM's who know the sites.

 

[got4boyz]

I will be diving in Phuket the first week in December. Do you offer discounts to fellow Scuba Board members?

 

[stevenl]

I will be diving in Phuket the first week in December. Do you offer discounts to fellow Scuba Board members?

Sure we can do something, just send a PM or email.